From Shakespeare to Nicholas Sparks, the gentleman romance writer is not extinct. This week, please welcome my lovely and genteel guest, Larry Hammersley, who write clean and inspirational romantic fiction. After networking online for several years, we did a book signing together last year in Kentucky. I discovered he was a true humble gentlemen who loves his family, respects others and has a wonderful talent for writing sweet stories. He has become a bit of a running mentor of sorts as I start my second year of running and exercise, and he is a wonderful friend. If you enjoy proper and cozy stories, you'll appreciate his contemporary romances and modern historicals.

Hi Larry! Thanks for letting
me pick your brain. First, please tell us what it's like to be a male romance
writer in today's market?

It
isn’t easy.I feel I need to write
stories from the female POV, and I’ve done that with my first accepted novel, A
Change of Heart, alternating chapters with the male and female POV.One of my short stories was exclusively from
the female POV (Motorcycle Woman) and I wasn’t sure if I was handling that
right.In both cases the editors didn’t
have serious problems with it.

You write clean fiction with
sweet romance.Why?

Larry Hammersley

I
don’t feel it is necessary to be explicit with the actions between a man and
woman.Their feelings for one another
should be based on something more solid than physical, something that outlasts
the passion of the moment.

How do you balance the
important things in life with writing?

I’m
still trying to figure out how to do that.I have no set schedule as to when I write.When other duties are at a lull I grab the
chance to do some writing.It may be
home alone or waiting at a doctor’s office or some other place where I have a
long wait.

What was your first
novel?

If
you mean the first accepted one it was released early last year: A Change of
Heart.If you mean the first novel I
wrote it would be A Tale of Two Asteroids.A remark was made about that title wondering if it was an intentional
pun of the novel A Tale of Two Cities.Well, it wasn’t and that novel was written probably forty years
ago.I've never done anything with it except
submit a portion to a writers conference at Indiana University.

What is the best feedback
you’ve ever received?

That
is difficult as there have been so many wonderful and in-depth remarks about my
writing from the ladies of our sweet romance group.When someone remarks about their thoughts on
exactly what I mean that is the best I can hope for.Example? Some years back, with a now defunct local
writers’ group, a lady remarked on a section of my motorcycle woman story as
being so sad.That is exactly what I
wanted to convey.It did have a happy
ending, and I believe the sadness intensified the happiness at the end.

What are your plans for the
future?

I
want to write a novel or novella about a Bible character from the Old
Testament: the Shunammite woman from 2 Kings 4 and 2 Kings 8.She is such a wonderful character.I also want to find a home for my new science
fiction novel, The Silver Dart.Likewise,
I need to revise some of my novels which are gathering dust in a rejected
state.I’ll be
continuing in that effort.

Will you share your most
recent release?

That
would be my science fiction novel, Higher Mission, which released last year in
ebook form from Champagne Books, Burst Books imprint.

Thanks
for stopping by, Larry. I wish you the best of luck with your books. I can
always count on an uplifting story when I pick up one of your books.

Stay
balanced,

~Danielle Thorne

Pick up a clean read from Larry Hammersley!

Click here for Amazon Purchase

Click here for Amazon Purchase

Check
out my Smashwords story, Small is Beautiful. Can Judy, standing only
five-one catch the eye of Brad, a towering 6-5 basketball player? Go here.

Larry writes such sweet, delicate, precious romances, and I love how he can capture the spirit of "vintage" eras. You know, there used to be an old song titled, "Hats Off to Larry". That's exactly how I feel about Larry Hammersley!

I recently read Higher Mission and loved being taken to another world. Mr. Hammersley made outer space so real with his knowledge of astronomy. I became involved with his characters and their conflicts. I'll be looking for more from him.

Thanks so much, Miss Mae and Gail for your kind remarks. I've always been uplifted by you kind ladies and your precious support. I count it a blessing indeed for meeting all of you via websites, blogs, private emails and groups.

Great post, Danielle, about a wonderful writer and a true gentleman. Mr. Hammersley has a knack for connecting with a reader's heart and soul. Plus, his story ideas are so fresh! Thanks for the interview and best of everything to you in the new year.

Hi Larry. Great interview, Danielle. I've read several of Larry's stories and enjoyed them. I especially like his gift for setting up a scene. Very visual. And his characters (like Regina said above), touch the heart and soul.

As good as his romance stories are, I want to see Larry attempt more Science Fiction stories. I've read a couple of those and all I can say is, WOW!

Hi Regina and Laurie: Your remarks are always appreciated and your support of my writing is heart felt, I assure you. I can make the same observations about your writing as well. I need to support your writing more than I do. I'm bogged down in some other matters that are taking their toll on my time and concentration, something I must change. My best to you wonderful ladies.

I love and recommend Jade Bloom oils.

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